Monthly Archives: March 2012

“I’m dumping the whole box back into your life, Ed, every item of you and me. I’m dumping this box on your porch, Ed, but it is you, Ed, who is getting dumped.”

– Why We Broke Up, pg. 3-4

Why We Broke Up is a new book here at WCL, written by Daniel Handler (also known as Lemony Snicket), and illustrated by Maira Kalman. It is the tale of Min Green and Ed Slaterton, two teens who fall in love, and then break-up. The book is told through a long letter from Min to Ed, who is leaving Ed with a box of artifacts from their relationship, including a movie ticket, some stolen sugar, and a comb from the motel room they shared.

This is a tale of heartbreak, plain and simple. The title says it all; it is the story of a couple breaking up, and it is not a happy read. But that doesn’t mean it’s a not a good one. Here is what some are saying about it:

“Their romance lasts only a few weeks, but the fullness and richness of the two falling madly in love and lust in that short time is beautifully rendered.”

– Monica Edinger, New York Times Sunday Book Review

“This rant made me cringe, ache, and left me feeling raw.

My feeling is that people will have strong reactions to this book: you will love it or you will hate it, but it will definitely get under your skin and force you to feel something strong one way or the other.”

– Vikki Vansickle, author of Love is a Four-Letter Word

This book also comes with its own project! Just visit www.whywebrokeupproject.com to read the stories of other people’s heartbreak, and you can (anonymously) post your own story, too! Plus, on the back cover of the book, you can read the break-up stories of some awesome authors, including Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret), and Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars).

This is not a light-hearted read. But if you’ve felt the crush of heartbreak, you’ll probably be able to relate to this story, as so many others have already done.

Check it out, and if you’ve read this book, leave us a comment and let us know what you thought!

It’s finally here! Friday, March 23 was the opening day for The Hunger Games movie. And it’s set to seriously smash some records!

According to Ray Subers of Box Office Mojo, The Hunger Games brought in an estimated $19.74 million from it’s midnight release. That’s the top debut EVER for the first movie in a series, and it earned more than DOUBLE what the first Twilight movie did!

So what do you think? Have you seen the movie yet? Are you going to see it at all? Was it good? How did it compare with the book?

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony
After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song “Chopsticks.”
But nothing is what it seems, and Glory’s reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it’s up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along…. – Amazon.ca

Everything you need to survive the apocalypse by Lucas Klauss
Phillip’s sophomore year is off to a rough start. One of his best friends ditches him. His track coach singles him out for personalized, torturous training sessions. And his dad decides to clean out all of the emergency supplies from the basement, even though the world could end in disaster at any moment…and even though those supplies are all Phillip has left of his dead mom. Not that he wants to talk about that.
But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she might like him back. As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to?
-Amazon.ca

Dead to you by Lisa McMann
Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It’s a miracle…at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn’t going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he’d be able to put the pieces back together. But there’s something that’s keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable… -Amazon.ca